5101.28
Written agreements with law enforcement agencies to exchange, obtain, or share information regarding public assistance recipients.

(1)
On request of the department of job and
family services or a county agency, a law enforcement agency shall provide
information regarding public assistance recipients to enable the department or
county agency to determine, for eligibility purposes, whether a recipient or a
member of a recipient's assistance group is a fugitive felon or violating a
condition of probation, a community control sanction, parole, or a post-release
control sanction imposed under state or federal law.

(2)
A county agency may enter into a written agreement with a local law enforcement
agency establishing procedures concerning access to information and providing
for compliance with division (F) of this section.

(B)
To the extent permitted by federal law, the department and county agencies
shall provide information regarding recipients of public assistance under a program
administered by the state department or a county agency pursuant to Chapter
5107., 5108., or 5115. of the Revised Code to law enforcement agencies on
request for the purposes of investigations, prosecutions, and criminal and
civil proceedings that are within the scope of the law enforcement agencies'
official duties.

(C)
Information about a public assistance recipient
shall be exchanged, obtained, or shared only if the department, county agency,
or law enforcement agency requesting the information gives sufficient
information to specifically identify the recipient. In addition to the
recipient's name, identifying information may include the recipient's current
or last known address, social security number, other identifying number, age,
gender, physical characteristics, any information specified in an agreement
entered into under division (A) of this section, or any information considered
appropriate by the department or agency.

(1)
The department and its officers and
employees are not liable in damages in a civil action for any injury, death, or
loss to person or property that allegedly arises from the release of
information in accordance with divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section.
This section does not affect any immunity or defense that the department and
its officers and employees may be entitled to under another section of the
Revised Code or the common law of this state, including section
9.86 of the
Revised Code.

(2)
The
county agencies and their employees are not liable in damages in a civil action
for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from
the release of information in accordance with divisions (A), (B), and (C) of
this section. "Employee" has the same meaning as in division (B) of section
2744.01 of the Revised Code. This
section does not affect any immunity or defense that the county agencies and
their employees may be entitled to under another section of the Revised Code or
the common law of this state, including section
2744.02 and division (A)(6) of
section 2744.03 of the Revised
Code.

(E)
To the
extent permitted by federal law, the department and county agencies shall
provide access to information to the auditor of state acting pursuant to
Chapter 117. or sections
5101.181 and
5101.182 of the Revised Code and
to any other government entity authorized by federal law to conduct an audit
of, or similar activity involving, a public assistance program.

(F)
The auditor of state shall prepare an annual report on the outcome of the
agreements required under division (A) of this section. The report shall
include the number of fugitive felons, probation and parole violators, and
violators of community control sanctions and post-release control sanctions
apprehended during the immediately preceding year as a result of the exchange
of information pursuant to that division. The auditor of state shall file the
report with the governor, the president and minority leader of the senate, and
the speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives. The state
department, county agencies, and law enforcement agencies shall cooperate with
the auditor of state's office in gathering the information required under this
division.

(G)
To the
extent permitted by federal law, the department of job and family services,
county departments of job and family services, and employees of the departments
may report to a public children services agency or other appropriate agency
information on known or suspected physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or
exploitation, or negligent treatment or maltreatment, of a child receiving
public assistance, if circumstances indicate that the child's health or welfare
is threatened.